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RAF Croft - July / August 2010
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Default RAF Croft - July / August 2010 - 11-09-2010, 12:40

RAF Croft was commissioned on the 1st July 1942, and was then a Naval Training centre called HMS Gosling. They had facilities for the training of Air Fitters, Air Mechanics, Radio Mechanics and Royal Marine Trainees. HMS Gosling was a large training facility, and had 5 camps located around RAF Croft, the first camp was located where a housing estate now lies in Croft, the main entrance was opposite Spring Lane. Camp 2 was where Risley Prison now stands. Camp 3 is the site covered by this report, and is the only remaining site. Camp 4 was located in Lowton, and camp 5 in Glazebrook. HMS Aerial was commissioned on 8th October 1942 at Cultcheth as extra housing accommodation for HMS Gosling.

On the Glazebrook site, now demolished, there are still the foundations for the buildings, and apparently Glazebrook Conservative Club is almost identical to the large theatre in Camp 3.

On the 31st March 1947, Camps 1,2 and 4 nwere bought by development companies, Camp 5 was left abandoned and was demolished in 2009. Camp 3 was taken over by the RAF, and used by the US Air Force, they would land a short distance away at RAF Burtonwood, which was the largest USAF base in the country, and then be transported to Croft to stay.
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Explored with Doc P, and some friends.

We have been about 5 times now, once at midnight for a mooch around in the dark The first time I got some pictures, and the last time when we used a rope ladder that I made to get up to the lookout post at the top of the theatre building.

First set - 19/07/10























Rover P5






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Default 11-09-2010, 12:41

Second set - 30/08/10





























This is a really cool place, and so relaxed! We were lieing on top of the lookout tower and a dog walker strolled past, and barely took any notice of us.

Thanks for looking
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Default 11-09-2010, 13:58

Gotta love that Rover, You know my thoughts on the rope ladder
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Default 11-09-2010, 14:07

hey did you see the woman with the labradors? haha, we went about a month ago and some womans labrador was barking at us and she ran in claiming she owned the place and telling us to get out. when we explained we were just taking pictures, she backed off though.
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Default 11-09-2010, 14:55

Quote:
Originally Posted by Millhouse View Post
Second set - 30/08/10


Standing on asbestos roofs is probably not the smartest thing to do.
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Default 11-09-2010, 15:38

The rover's awesome! A guy at work had one apparently but I've never seen it :(

Didn't see a woman, but there's a farm or something nearby and there's always dogs barking. The guy walking his dog through the site wasn't at all bothered by us.

Tarboat - yeah i now realise this.. :/
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Default 12-09-2010, 16:33

Using a rope ladder to get to the top of the stage? Cheat!!
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Default 13-09-2010, 11:50

I think this is the best report I have seen on RAF Croft hands down - well done

I had a run in with the woman with the dogs when I went there - she started questioning us on why we were there, so we did the same - she first said she owned the place, then said she did not, but knew the owners, so after we told her we had as much right being there as she did, she left and we saw or heard no more from her.
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